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me. With the exception of Cynthia Murdoch's, every one's room `
`
was in this left wing. Had that anything to do with it? Was I to `
`
report who came or went? I stood faithfully at my post. The `
`
minutes passed. Nobody came. Nothing happened. `
`
`
`
It must have been quite twenty minutes before Poirot rejoined me. `
`
`
`
"You have not stirred?" `
`
`
`
"No, I've stuck here like a rock. Nothing's happened." `
`
`
`
"Ah!" Was he pleased, or disappointed? "You've seen nothing at `
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all?" `
`
`
`
"No." `
`
`
`
"But you have probably heard something? A big bump--eh, mon ami?" `
`
`
`
"No." `
`
`
`
"Is it possible? Ah, but I am vexed with myself! I am not usually `
`
clumsy. I made but a slight gesture"--I know Poirot's `
`
gestures--"with the left hand, and over went the table by the `
`
bed!" `
`
`
`
He looked so childishly vexed and crest-fallen that I hastened to `
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console him. `
`
`
`
"Never mind, old chap. What does it matter? Your triumph `
`
downstairs excited you. I can tell you, that was a surprise to `
`
us all. There must be more in this affair of Inglethorp's with `
`
Mrs. Raikes than we thought, to make him hold his tongue so `
`
persistently. What are you going to do now? Where are the `
`
Scotland Yard fellows?" `
`
`
`
"Gone down to interview the servants. I showed them all our `
`
exhibits. I am disappointed in Japp. He has no method!" `
`
`
`
"Hullo!" I said, looking out of the window. "Here's Dr. `
`
Bauerstein. I believe you're right about that man, Poirot. I `
`
don't like him." `
`
`
`
"He is clever," observed Poirot meditatively. `
`
`
`
"Oh, clever as the devil! I must say I was overjoyed to see him `
`
in the plight he was in on Tuesday. You never saw such a `
`
spectacle!" And I described the doctor's adventure. "He looked a `
`
regular scarecrow! Plastered with mud from head to foot." `
`
`
`
"You saw him, then?" `
`
`
`
"Yes. Of course, he didn't want to come in--it was just after `
`
dinner--but Mr. Inglethorp insisted." `
`
`
`
"What?" Poirot caught me violently by the shoulders. "Was Dr. `
`
Bauerstein here on Tuesday evening? Here? And you never told me? `
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Why did you not tell me? Why? Why?" `
`
`
`
He appeared to be in an absolute frenzy. `
`
`
`
"My dear Poirot," I expostulated, "I never thought it would `
`
interest you. I didn't know it was of any importance." `
`
`
`
"Importance? It is of the first importance! So Dr. Bauerstein was `
`
here on Tuesday night--the night of the murder. Hastings, do you `
`
not see? That alters everything--everything!" `
`
`
`
I had never seen him so upset. Loosening his hold of me, he `
`
mechanically straightened a pair of candlesticks, still murmuring `
`
to himself: "Yes, that alters everything--everything." `
`
`
`
Suddenly he seemed to come to a decision. `
`
`
`
"Allons!" he said. "We must act at once. Where is Mr. `
`
Cavendish?" `
`
`
`
John was in the smoking-room. Poirot went straight to him. `
`
`
`
"Mr. Cavendish, I have some important business in Tadminster. A `
`
new clue. May I take your motor?" `
`
`
`
"Why, of course. Do you mean at once?" `
`
`
`
"If you please." `
`
`
`
John rang the bell, and ordered round the car. In another ten `
`
minutes, we were racing down the park and along the high road to `
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Tadminster. `
`
`
`
"Now, Poirot," I remarked resignedly, "perhaps you will tell me `
`
what all this is about?" `
`
`
`
"Well, mon ami, a good deal you can guess for yourself. Of `
`
course you realize that, now Mr. Inglethorp is out of it, the `
`
whole position is greatly changed. We are face to face with an `
`
entirely new problem. We know now that there is one person who `
`
did not buy the poison. We have cleared away the manufactured `
`
clues. Now for the real ones. I have ascertained that anyone in `
`
the household, with the exception of Mrs. Cavendish, who was `
`
playing tennis with you, could have personated Mr. Inglethorp on `
`
Monday evening. In the same way, we have his statement that he `
`
put the coffee down in the hall. No one took much notice of that `
`
at the inquest--but now it has a very different significance. We `
`
must find out who did take that coffee to Mrs. Inglethorp `
`
eventually, or who passed through the hall whilst it was standing `
`
there. From your account, there are only two people whom we can `
`
positively say did not go near the coffee--Mrs. Cavendish, and `
`
Mademoiselle Cynthia." `
`
`
`
"Yes, that is so." I felt an inexpressible lightening of the `
`
heart. Mary Cavendish could certainly not rest under suspicion. `
`
`
`
"In clearing Alfred Inglethorp," continued Poirot, "I have been `
`
obliged to show my hand sooner than I intended. As long as I `
`
might be thought to be pursuing him, the criminal would be off `
`
his guard. Now, he will be doubly careful. Yes--doubly `
`
careful." He turned to me abruptly. "Tell me, Hastings, you `
`
yourself--have you no suspicions of anybody?" `
`
`
`
I hesitated. To tell the truth, an idea, wild and extravagant in `
`
itself, had once or twice that morning flashed through my brain. `
`
I had rejected it as absurd, nevertheless it persisted. `
`
`
`
"You couldn't call it a suspicion," I murmured. "It's so utterly `
`
foolish." `
`
`
`
"Come now," urged Poirot encouragingly. "Do not fear. Speak `
`
your mind. You should always pay attention to your instincts." `
`
`
`
"Well then," I blurted out, "it's absurd--but I suspect Miss `
`
Howard of not telling all she knows!" `
`
`
`
"Miss Howard?" `
`
`
`
"Yes--you'll laugh at me----" `
`
`
`
"Not at all. Why should I?" `
`
`
`
"I can't help feeling," I continued blunderingly; "that we've `
`
rather left her out of the possible suspects, simply on the `
`
strength of her having been away from the place. But, after all, `
`
she was only fifteen miles away. A car would do it in half an `
`
hour. Can we say positively that she was away from Styles on the `
`
night of the murder?" `
`
`
`
"Yes, my friend," said Poirot unexpectedly, "we can. One of my `
`
first actions was to ring up the hospital where she was working." `
`
`
`
"Well?" `
`
`
`
"Well, I learnt that Miss Howard had been on afternoon duty on `
`
Tuesday, and that--a convoy coming in unexpectedly--she had `
`
kindly offered to remain on night duty, which offer was `
`
gratefully accepted. That disposes of that." `
`
`
`
"Oh!" I said, rather nonplussed. "Really," I continued, "it's `
`
her extraordinary vehemence against Inglethorp that started me `
`
off suspecting her. I can't help feeling she'd do anything `
`
against him. And I had an idea she might know something about `
`
the destroying of the will. She might have burnt the new one, `
`
mistaking it for the earlier one in his favour. She is so `
`
terribly bitter against him." `
`
`
`
"You consider her vehemence unnatural?" `
`
`
`
"Y--es. She is so very violent. I wondered really whether she `
`
is quite sane on that point." `
`
`
`
Poirot shook his head energetically. `
`
`
`
"No, no, you are on a wrong tack there. There is nothing `
`
weak-minded or degenerate about Miss Howard. She is an excellent `
`
specimen of well-balanced English beef and brawn. She is sanity `
`
itself." `
`
`
`
"Yet her hatred of Inglethorp seems almost a mania. My idea `
`
was--a very ridiculous one, no doubt--that she had intended to `
`
poison him--and that, in some way, Mrs. Inglethorp got hold of it `
`
by mistake. But I don't at all see how it could have been done. `
`
The whole thing is absurd and ridiculous to the last degree." `
`
`
`
"Still you are right in one thing. It is always wise to suspect `
`
everybody until you can prove logically, and to your own `
`
satisfaction, that they are innocent. Now, what reasons are `
`
there against Miss Howard's having deliberately poisoned Mrs. `
`
Inglethorp?" `
`
`
`
"Why, she was devoted to her!" I exclaimed. `
`
`
`
"Tcha! Tcha!" cried Poirot irritably. "You argue like a child. `
`
If Miss Howard were capable of poisoning the old lady, she would `
`
be quite equally capable of simulating devotion. No, we must `
`
look elsewhere. You are perfectly correct in your assumption `
`
that her vehemence against Alfred Inglethorp is too violent to be `
`
natural; but you are quite wrong in the deduction you draw from `
`
it. I have drawn my own deductions, which I believe to be `
`
correct, but I will not speak of them at present." He paused a `
`
minute, then went on. "Now, to my way of thinking, there is one `
`
insuperable objection to Miss Howard's being the murderess." `
`
`
`
"And that is?" `
`
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